This invention is generally directed to a novel, substantially transparent, plastic carrier for a group of items, such as cans, bottles or the like which hold beverages, foods or the like. More particularly, the invention contemplates a plastic carrier which groups together the items and prevents individual bar codes on each item from being read by a typical laser bar code reader beam.
Bar codes are widely used on items so that information about the item, such as price, can be easily and quickly read by scanning the bar code with a bar code reader beam. When the bar code is scanned, the bar code number is input into a computer to retrieve stored information about the item.
When items are grouped together in a package for sale, each item typically includes an individual machine readable bar code. The package is additionally labelled with a bar code which corresponds to the price of the group of items.
In a package that has a substantially transparent carrier, e.g. a band type carrier as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,219,117 or 4,557,375, when the package is scanned for a price, a bar code from an individual item could be scanned instead of the bar code on the package itself. If this occurs, information which correlates to the individual item would be retrieved and the purchaser of the package will be charged the individual price instead of the group package price. This can result in significant losses to the seller.
The present invention is intended to overcome or minimize these problems as well as to present improvements and additional advantages.